Steve Gesell will no longer be San Luis Obispo's police chief
San Luis Obispo Police Chief Steve Gesell’s tenure with the city will end next Friday, severed because of fundamental philosophical differences between him and city officials.
City officials announced Thursday that they reached a settlement agreement with Gesell that will provide him with a lump sum severance of $120,000.
Gesell, who was placed on paid administrative leave May 8, will end his employment with the city May 29. The agreement also ensures that no legal action will result from the separation.
In a news release, City Manager Katie Lichtig said, “to reach peak performance, the city manager and police chief need to be in complete alignment.”
But Gesell and the city “have fundamental differences about the appropriate roles and responsibilities of the police chief that interfered with their ability to effectively communicate and serve the city at the highest level,” the release states.
Gesell said in an email that he’s grateful for the opportunity to serve San Luis Obispo for the last three years.
“This is a true community in every sense of the word in addition to being my hometown,” he said. “My focus and passion have always been consistently centered on preserving SLO's renowned quality of life in any way possible.
“As an organization, we have remained vigilant serving at the highest level and have much to be proud of,” he added. “There would have been little progress without the commitment and aid of the community.”
Gesell did not make any reference to reasons for his dismissal.
In a phone interview, Lichtig said, “I think the issue is best described in terms of organizational culture, and the question of an expectation in the community that there be collaboration and a listening mode and that there be fundamental alignment about the core values within the city.”
When asked for examples of the core values, Lichtig named “being a team player, being committed to employee development and having open and clear communication.”
“From my perspective I’m taking the actions to ensure that we’re here to serve the community … and we need to uphold these values to achieve the highest performance for the community,” she said.
In an emailed comment to The Tribune, Councilman Dan Carpenter said he does not “support the use of taxpayer resources for this termination without cause decision.”
“I have tremendous respect and admiration for Chief Gesell,” Carpenter said. “His accomplishments, professional acumen and commitment to our community is unparalleled.”
But Councilman John Ashbaugh called the settlement a positive step forward for everyone involved.
“There have been conflicts there,” he added. “Our council remains confident in the management team and in our city manager and city attorney.”
Ashbaugh declined to elaborate on possible conflicts, saying only, “We need to get along with our colleagues, especially with those to whom we report. We did leave it in the hands of our city manager and it was her call. It has been very difficult for her as well as for the chief and I wish him well.”
Mayor Jan Marx and City Council members Dan Rivoire and Carlyn Christianson could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.
Gesell came under scrutiny in recent months for his work-related travel expenses in 2014; his opinion piece published in The Tribune in December commenting on the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man, in Ferguson, Mo.; and police response in March to a massive "St. Fratty's Day" party that ended with a roof collapse that injured at least eight people.
At the council’s May 19 meeting, a few local residents expressed support for Gesell, prompting Lichtig to say, “Personnel items are complex and they are sensitive, and I am absolutely committed to dealing with this situation with as much dignity and respect as I can offer to everybody involved.”
San Luis Obispo police Capt. Chris Staley will continue to serve as acting chief while Lichtig starts to consult with the city council, the city’s human resources director and the community about the process to hire a successor.
Gesell was hired in 2012.
He previously served 20 years in Arizona with the Scottsdale Police Department, rising to division commander. He joined the Atascadero Police Department in 2009 as a commander and served as interim police chief for most of 2011 before his selection as San Luis Obispo's chief in January 2012.
Gesell’s starting base salary was $157,508 to oversee a staff of more than 80 people and a budget of $15.3 million. His annual salary in June 2014 was $160,394, with a total compensation of $264,163, according to the city website.
As a department head, Gesell was appointed by and could be removed by the city manager.
The City Council gave Lichtig and City Attorney Christine Dietrick authorization last week to negotiate a settlement with an unnamed city employee, just a few days after he was placed on paid administrative leave.
In a May 1 letter to Dietrick, Gesell’s attorney wrote that the chief did not want to leave his position and the city has no good cause to sever his working relationship.
In a May 1 letter to Dietrick, Gesell’s attorney wrote that the chief did not want to leave his position and the city had no good cause to sever his working relationship.
“With this history, we are very concerned that the council is being led to believe that there is a mutual agreement to end the relationship,” stated the letter from Pismo Beach-based attorney David P. Warren, which was delivered to the City Council during its closed-session meeting. “This is simply not the case.”
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TEXT OF STEVE GESELL'S FULL STATEMENT:
"I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve this great City for the last three years. My family and I will always be connected to San Luis Obispo and the many people we've been fortunate to come to know. This is a true community in every sense of the word in addition to being my hometown.
"My focus and passion have always been consistently centered on preserving SLO's renowned quality of life in anyway possible. I have many to thank in the community for supporting the outstanding men and women of SLOPD as well as supporting my family and I. As an organization, we have remained vigilant serving at the highest level and have much to be proud of. There would have been little progress without the commitment and aid of the community.
"I'm confident the myriad of partnerships that have been instrumental in improving public safety will continue enabling San Luis Obispo to thrive and remain such a special place."
This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 4:44 PM with the headline "Steve Gesell will no longer be San Luis Obispo's police chief."